U.S.A. leases vast offshore area to RES America and U.S. Wind

American offshore wind energy developers RES America and U.S. Wind have emerged as successful bidders to develop an offshore wind energy off the coast of South Jersey.

The lease area in the Atlantic ocean would run along the east coast of the U.S., roughly from Long Beach Island to the southern tip of the state near Cape May. RES America bid $880,715 to lease 160,480 acres, while US Wind bid $1,006,240 to lease 183,353 acres.

Mr. Walter Cruickshank, deputy director of the Ocean Energy Management bureau said "Both companies are well established and we've had positive experiences with both."
Mr. Doug O'Malley, director of Environment New Jersey said "Offshore wind won't be denied off the Jersey Shore, and the multiple bids shows off-shore wind companies are taking New Jersey seriously."

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said "This auction underscores the emerging market demand for renewable energy and marks another major step in standing up a sustainable offshore wind program for Atlantic coast communities.''

Although it might take seven to eight years for the commercial operations to begin in the leased region, according to a report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the U.S.A., if fully developed, the area leased could generate about 3.4 GW of electricity, enough to power about 1.2 million American homes.

U.S.A.'s first commercial wind farm in Rhode Island is currently under construction. The 30 MW project is being developed by Deepwater Wind.